Days flying by.  Seeing all kinds of interesting and different landscape in Louisiana.  Work is - also - interesting - because of the people that are working there.  One dude is always complaining about the place and constantly threatening to go find another job somewhere else.  Good luck. He's young, has little experience in a truck and has attitude.  Another one is in his 50's I believe, he's pretty cool and then the 3rd dude is in his 40's and doesn't talk much. The guy that runs the counter is in his 60's and has been with the company for over 30 years.  It is interesting that the man runs the counter - but doesn't know how to write up a ticket. 

You know, like to sell stuff? lol.  I get along with all of them to some extent or another, excepting the counter man who I usually can deal with but his blowup last week ticked me off.  Will I stay there?  Probably not, but comjpletely undecided at this point.  I want to see what my first paycheck looks like before making that decision.  Which will occur on Friday.  

The stark reality of the house is that it will take quite some time - and money - to get into decent condition.  I get frowns when I start talking about trying to find stuff used but still in good condition.  The house is huge.  Carpet has been torn out of most of it.  You're talking replacing flooring on a house that is something like 6,500 square feet.  Wood or vinyl flooring probably best in most areas because of all of those kids.  The astronomical amount of money needed to replace all of that is - mind-boggling, at least for me.  THat is one of the biggest issues in the house at the moment.  Another is a dog that poops and pees wherever it pleases, as well as stealing food off the dining room table.  It has never been trained and of course if you don't train a dog, you pay the consequences.  

Then there is the other stuff.  Josiah and his gf.  Constantly pushing it.  Wanting to spend more and more  and more time with her.  I mean entire days where that's all he does: sit with her and talk all day long.  He asked for her to come over tomorrow after having had her over on Sunday and having had been with her all day Friday and when I say all day, I mean from 8:45 am til' past 9 pm.  The problem is his attitude.  Another problem is when he's with her, he does nothing.  He is expected to work around the house just like the rest of the kids. So I just told him no on Wednesday.  Sorry, not a happening event, thanks.  

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As it stands, he pissed me off on Sunday and that is the reason he isn't getting to see her on Wednesday and likely his future visits are going to be pared back. He IS getting better in the attitude department, but ever so slowly.  He came and sat down next to me last night while I was over there playing the game.  Being all nice and this and that - of course when I said no he got up and stormed off.  Lol.  It's relentless though, the constant asking about seeing gf.  I get tired of it and when he gets mad I pretty much let him have it.

As for the other kids in the house, 2 boys got home from their trip with dad to North Carolina. They had fun, evidently, but I knew the car trip would be hell to pay with those 2 in the same vehicle for that much time.  I was definitely spot on about that one.  They don't like each other, don't want to be around each other, but one of them is MUCH larger than the other one and can basically beat the snot out of him.  One of them wants to come over on Friday - well they all want to do that all the time.  In fact, they ask me to take them home on work nights and then take them back the next morning.  Uhhh, sorry, that just won't work. Leave here half an hour early to do that, no thanks, plus add 20 miles to the trip to work, no thanks.  

Regardless, it came up that the oldest brother - who is in the Navy and the reason they went to NC to visit him - was trash talking mom and also apparently saying s*** about me.  Not that I care, I have never even met the - kid - no sweat off my back.  Her ex and that one going at it about her and then apparently declaring that I could "find a better person", inciting that she is doing heroin.  I can guarantee you that my lady does NOT do narcotics.  She has migraine headache issues and takes Imitrex for that, but that is not a narcotic and they just like to spite her at every turn.  

I did not move out here to go find some other lady, I don't care about all the junk and sometimes exasperration I have to go through with all of this, I am intent on getting that house spruced up and so, I spent the money I have here and there in doing so.  Paint at the moment.  But think about painting that much square footage and the amount of money it will cost just to do that and you get an idea of the hurdles I am facing to get this done.  

Upon that note, I have decided to expand my range for finding stuff to the Dallas area, which is a much larger population and much more likely to find deals even if a 150 to 200 mile drive - one way. If there is a good enough deal and it's worth the drive, then yes.  She has a 15 passenger van with a trailer hitch and a 15 or 20 foot trailer that I can drive over there if need be - if I can find anything at all.  I was thinking of learning how to use that tractor of hers and the brush hog attachment and seeing if I can rent out brush hogging at 40 to 50 bucks an hour.  Sounds expensive but you are talking about operating a tractor and the fuel, wear and tear, tires, hauling the thing over to wherever, etc etc etc.  Easy work, though monotonous, there is a demand for it.  I need extra bucks to get this house done and it will take forever at the rate I am going.  An equity loan on the house would be another idea, but that means more debt.  At the same time, to get that place into shape, especially the main living areas.  

Well I have run out of time, time for the daily trek to Shreveport some 47 miles away from here.  Not that bad, really, just the fuel expense, gas is hardly cheap anymore.  $3.35 per gallon the cheapest I can find it.  Well there are some cheaper places over in LA out of town, but I am not driving 20 miles to go fill up, obviously, but I have seen it as low as $3.20 per gallon.  Which isn't really low.  I need to focus my attention on getting out of the child support.  

Regardless, g'day.

ben